After Motown left Detroit for Los Angeles in 1972, trombonist Phil Ranelin was largely left without work or direction, until he co-founded Tribe with Wendell Harrison later that same year. Two years after forming Tribe, Phil Ranelin would release his first album as a solo leader, The Time Is Now! The record contains all of the hallmarks of the best Tribe recordings: spiritual-leaning improvisations, soulful grooves, and appearances from Tribe regulars: Wendell Harrison, Marcus Belgrave, Reggie Fields, and more! The album opens with a 13 minute improvisation titled "The Time Is Now For Change". As Ranelin, Belgrave, and Harrison exchange flurries of notes and squeaks over improvised chaos from the rhythm section, the group builds to a spiritual high that calls to mind the best Albert Ayler recordings. Bebop lines and unison phrases occasionally rise to the surface, offering a glimmer of familiarity in what is largely a harsh soundscape. Yet what sets Ranelin (and indeed, all of his Tribe contemporaries) apart from the larger free and spiritual jazz scene at the time is their sense of rhythm. Even as Harrison evokes sounds that would make a Meditations era Coltrane blush, the drums stay in time, and the looping bass and piano riffs take on an almost hypnotic quality, repeating quietly under a whirlwind of sound. Later tracks see the ensemble veer into soul jazz, and jazz-funk, with "Black Destiny" perfectly highlighting the group's ability to meld the avant-garde with grooves that you won't be able to stop yourself from tapping your foot to. Members of the Tribe were well known for their appreciation of African American popular music, and the influence of groups such as Sly And The Family Stone is clear in the song's edgy rhythms and dense sound. This double LP reissue also contains alternate versions and outtakes that are so good you'll be wondering why they were originally left out! With modern remastering, three bonus tracks, and an obi-strip, you don't want to miss the definitive version of Phil Ranelin's The Time Is Now!
Release date:
September 22, 2023
Label:
Install our app to receive notifications when new upcoming releases are added.

Recommended equipment and accessories
-
Ortofon 2M Red Cartridge
Features an elliptical stylus that accurately tracks the grooves of vinyl records, delivering a rich, detailed sound with an output voltage of 5.5 mV
-
Pro-Ject Phono Box DC Pre-Amp
Compact, high-performance phono preamplifier for both MM and MC cartridges, delivering a clean, detailed signal with minimal noise.
-
Edifier R1280DB Powered Speakers
Combining classic design with modern Bluetooth connectivity, built-in amplification and versatile inputs, these speakers deliver rich, balanced sound.
-
Cartridges - Top Picks
A selection of turnatble cartridges that provide great performance and sound quality
-
Denon DP-400
Featuring a high-precision, belt-driven mechanism and an adjustable tonearm that ensures optimal tracking and minimal resonance
Featured Upcoming Vinyl
-
Tasha Cobbs Leonard TASHA Foggy Horizon [2xLP]
Motown Gospel
September 19, 2025 -
Borracho Ouroboros
Ripple Music
August 29, 2025 -
Belinda Carlisle Once Upon A Time In California (Autographed; Sunset)
Demon / Edsel
August 29, 2025 -
D.D. Verni and the Cadillac Band Buckle Up [2xLP]
Deko Music
September 19, 2025 -
Sinsaenum IN DEVASTATION
Earmusic
August 8, 2025 -
Jack Garratt Pillars (Marbled Grass)
Cooking Vinyl
August 15, 2025 -
Bywater Call Sunshine - Live In 2024
Gypsy Soul Records
August 22, 2025 -
El Michels Affair 24 Hr Sports
Big Crown
September 5, 2025 -
Between The Buried And Me The Blue Nowhere [2xLP]
Inside Out Music
September 12, 2025 -
Modern Nature The Heat Warps
Bella Union
August 29, 2025 -
Biohazard Divided We Fall
Frontiers New Recordings Physical Only
October 17, 2025 -
Buscabulla Se Amaba Así
Domino Record Co
September 12, 2025 -
Tom Odell A Wonderful Life
Urok
September 5, 2025 -
Silverstein Pink Moon (Blue)
Unfd
September 12, 2025